TeAM Council 2011/2012

Ir.Aziz Ismail is an electronic engineer who became a Technopreneur after working in the corporate world. He was worked for TNB in 1984, then moved to Honeywell (US Company) and later on moved up the corporate ladder to become the CEO of Foxboro (US company) in Malaysia. Then he decided to join the roller coaster life of entrepreneur by setting up his own company Authentic Venture Sdn. Bhd. in 2002.

At company level he developed many interesting solutions that is based on Microsoft platform. Among the products include eTrax (monitoring what employees do on their computers), AssetCentral (on-line system to manage PC’s) and Assetrax (Tracking laptops). His company is a MSC Status company, a Microsoft Certified Partner, SME Corp 1Innocert (AA) certified, MSC SCORE+ (3.0) and CMMI certified.

He is also very involved in the ICT community in Malaysia in terms of policy and various activities and events. He is currently the President of TeAM, an association for ICT, Biotech and Green technology technopreneurs. He is also the Vice President II of NEF, an association of Bumiputera ICT entrepreneurs as well as Exco member for PPIPBM, a Manufacturers association. He was involved in the creation of the NEF-Awani ICT award that was launched by the YAB Prime Minister in March 2011. He is also the Advisory panel member for MSC Malaysia and the chairman for Domestic Direct Investment. He is also the Chairman for Go Global initiative under TeAM, MDEC and NEF.

At community level he is one of the MDEC Pre-seed Grant evaluation committee, Cradle Grant approval committee, University Technology Petronas industry advisory panel, judge in Malaysian IHL ICT competition, judge in Microsoft Imagine cup competition. He is a speaker in many ICT events under MDEC, TeAM, NEF, MPC and universities. He is also the ICT cluster leader for the Majlis Perundingan Melayu, an NGO caucus for bumiputera.

His passion is in developing strategy and various actions for helping Malaysian ICT companies to go to global market. He hopes that in the near future many ICT companies can compete and win in many overseas countries.

Low Huoi Seong has over 25 years of experience in the content industry, having started Vision Entertainment with his partner in 1985 as a TV programme distribution company. A few years later, the group ventured downstream into licensing & merchandising. The vertical integration continued when he established the production division in 1995. Since then, he has added programme production, production facilities, 2D and 3D animation, console games as well as digital/mobile interactive services to the group, transforming it into a well-integrated new media entity.

His latest additions to the group are companies at the leading edge of new media:
• Vision Interactive Broadband Services, the interactive services company that is set to be the leading provider of interactive, content-based, marketing solutions to Asia’s broadcasters, platform operators and service providers on convergent networks.
• Codemasters Studios, a joint-venture art and animation studio dedicated to high-end, 3rd generation, console-game projects (PS3, Xbox 360 etc).
• New Vision Partners, a technology joint venture, developing and deploying a universal applications player that will work on all Java-enabled mobile phones

With these additions, the Vision Group is expecting to help set the new media agenda for Asia.

The group does business throughout Asia, from Korea and Taiwan/China in the north, India and Sri Lanka in the south and through the ASEAN countries into Australia and New Zealand in the south-east. Relationships at both ends of the supply chain are extremely good, ranging from Hollywood studios like Warner Bros., MCA/Universal and Sony/Columbia to all major Asian broadcasters.

Apart from managing Vision New Media and Redberry, he is often consulted about the Malaysian digital content industry, is currently a member of the Local Advisory Panel of MSC Malaysia and writes an occasional piece about the industry in The Edge.

Prior to the Vision Group, he was a management consultant in SGV-Kassim Chan Management Services, specialising in market and financial feasibility studies. He was also a member of the UNDP-funded consulting team working on Malaysia’s first Industrial Master Plan in 1983-84.

He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Human Physiology, 1978 (University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne), an M.Sc. in Management Science, 1979 (Imperial College, University of London) and an M.Sc. in Human & Applied Physiology, 1980 (King’s College, University of London).

He is a member of YPO/WPO and was the Asia Pacific Regional Chairman in 2005/2006. He loves diving/underwater photography and is the National Instructor of the Malayan Sub Aqua Club (MSAC). He also represents the MSAC in the Technical Committee of the World Underwater Federation (CMAS).

Azlan Yaacob is involved in program management and investments focused in green technology development and commercialization. Azlan was formerly with leading ICT companies where he held regional management positions in product management, business development and sales. These companies include Motorola, Comverse and Andersen Consulting. Azlan have had expatriate postings in Indonesia, Singapore and France, and have developed markets in ASEAN, Australia, South Korea and India. Azlan graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in Industrial and Operations Engineering.

Daniel CerVentus is the founder of Entrepreneurs.my and a web producer that is involved in various projects such as ThisWeekInAsia.net and Earth247. He is very passionate about startups and entrepreneurship around the region. You can follow Daniel at www.twitter.com/cerventus

A graduate of Michigan State University with a bachelors in Computer Engineering, Keng Yew made an exit from a PhD program in 2003 to join a Silicon Valley startup (eXS Inc). Kengyew has 5 years working experience with multiple Silicon Valley startups, developing high-tech telecommunications products. Working with eXS, Kengyew has experienced first-hand, starting a company with nothing but an idea, through seed-funding, to commercial deployment with a solid product.

In mid 2008 Kengyew returned to Malaysia to start up Socialwalk. Socialwalk specializes in buyer-seller matching algorithms and applies the solution to the MICE industry – Conferences and Tradeshows. By 2010, Socialwalk has won numerous awards including Singtel’s Top 50 Apps in Asia and has been featured on global technology news sites such as Techcrunch and Mashable. Socialwalk has been used by over 200 events around the region and by global clientele such as Messe Dusselsorf and Messe Frankfurt.

Kengyew has served as a council member of TeAM (Technopreneurs Association of Malaysia) since 2010 – in charge of creating strategic partnerships to benefit TeAM members. In 2011, Kengyew was appointed as an exco member of TeAM in charge of facilitating in-bound and out-bound trade for Malaysian ICT Companies. In this capacity, Kengyew serves as a voice for Malaysian ICT companies to various government organizations crafting the framework for successful export of Malayian products and services.

Kengyew is also a founding member and mentor of Greyattic – an ideas stage funding program designed specifically to accelerate high potential web/mobile based startups. These startups have explosive growth potential – with the right funding and guidance framework that can adapt as fast as they grow.

Chris has extensive knowledge and experience in both business and technology with hands on experience in developing scalable enterprise solutions. He also consults and realigns technology startups in go-to-market strategies. A founding member of Virtuous Investment Circle (VIC), an angel investment group that match make entrepreneurs with angel investors. In-depth knowledge of local investment scene with established contacts with relevant key players.

An experience public speaker and trainer for technology, business & presentation, Chris has extensive exposure to cross cultural practices and international business protocol. Other than that, he is fully familiar with the success factors of a start-up and possess a diverse skills required in a young company.

=============================================

Colin CharlesCouncil Member, TeAM

Colin Charles is an open source software hacker and businessman. Few of his specialties include application developer, system administration, database development, migration expert, trainer and background in Web-based technology. Considered expert in Linux and Mac OS X usage/administration/roll-out’s. Ability to write is a plus.

(Ms) Daphne Oon is a management and technology professional turned entrepreneur in 2005. Prior to her decision to setup a company, she already had 6 years of residing and working experience in Singapore and subsequently another 7 years residing and working in Malaysia.

In Singapore she was involved in technical and business development activities mainly with banking industry customers. In late 1998, she decided to move back to KL with the hope of finding opportunities to participate in the government’s mission of building a vibrant and dynamic local ICT industry through its MSC initiatives and various other large e-government flagship project initiatives at that time.

While working with a public-listed computer technology company, she was offered the opportunity to be involved in and project manage government projects; one of the projects was a large government-funded, full-cycle ICT design and build project for a cybercity. This project took several years to complete. Upon the project closure, she then moved on to manage a US-owned offshore technology company. She was involved in its business-re-structuring activities, and subsequently went on to manage the operations of its two subsidiaries – one was a High-Tech company with MSC status, and another was a High-Growth company with MSC status.

After having more than 12 years in the ICT industry, she decided to setup REDWIRE Global Solutions Sdn Bhd in 2005, with its vision to bring value and opportunity through HR software, services and training. REDWIRE invested in developing web-based software that automates and tracks status of new-fill or back-fill positions in HR.

In 2009, REDWIRE setup its office in Guangzhou, China. REDWIRE is positioned to be the preferred Go-To Partner for regional ICT companies who are keen to develop their business in China.

(Ms) Daphne Oon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science & Information Systems from the National University of Singapore. She is also a member and volunteer of social and service organizations, and occasionally takes part in activities that can benefit less-privileged communities.

Leon is the Group CEO of the Tripod Group of Companies, a media group with interests in animation and audio production, post-production and IP development and management.

He began his career in corporate finance at Usaha Tegas with founding interests in the satellite TV broadcaster ASTRO, telecommunications group Maxis, real estate development of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre, and the MEASAT satellites, among others.

He established Lycos Asia’s Indonesia and Philippines operations, and later led its global business development and strategic alliance efforts based in Singapore and Shanghai.

Today, Leon heads the Tripod Group together with other partners, based in Kuala Lumpur with operations in Jakarta and Los Angeles. Tripod Group is a MAVCAP investee, and its Malaysian companies have MSC Malaysia Status.

The Tripod Group creates, owns and manages animation properties (feature films, TV series, New Media content) for global audiences. Its debut animated stereo 3D feature film, “War of the Worlds: Goliath”, will see worldwide release in 2012. Tripod is also producing a kids’ animated TV series, “Zoorocco”, with international co-production partners. Leon serves as Producer for both these properties, as well as future Tripod titles.

Leon also heads business development at Imaginex Studios, the audio post-production arm of the Tripod Group, based in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. Imaginex Studios provided original music scores, sound design/fx, voice casting/direction and audio mixes for feature films such as “Seefood”, “Bunohan”, “Dukun” and “War of the Worlds: Goliath”; international TV series “Saladin” and “Zoorocco”; and over a thousand TV commercials worldwide. Imaginex Studios’ clients include Al-Jazeera Children’s Channel, Mattel and MDeC.

Leon is a Council Member of TeAM, and is looking forward to supporting TeAM’s efforts in providing opportunities and a conducive environment for Malaysian ICT entrepreneurs to realize their dreams and beyond.

He started his career in software development after graduated from University of Science- Malaysia with Bachelor Degree of Electrical & Electronic Engineer (Hons) in year 1997.

Being a software geek for more than 8 years in the industry, Chen Pin gained experience working with various systems and technologies, from designing and developing billing system for telecommunications services, to banking tools for mobile devices. Applications he had designed and developed include payment gateway that enables credit card payment via kiosk, mobile financial planner that runs on Windows Mobile, etc.

In 2005, Chen Pin started Origine IT. The initial mission was funny but ambitious – he wanted to bring back the fun and passion of software development back to the industry in his home country. He wanted to encourage software developers to be grateful for having the ability to communicate with computers, and be able to develop software that improve life and make the world a better place to stay.

Personally, he involves in several community work groups. He is the council member of TeAM (Technopreneur Association of Malaysia – Technopreneur refers to entrepreneur that run technology related business). His focus area in this organization is Community and Social Responsibilities, and the objective is to encourage and foster social entrepreneurship – using technology to bring values to the society.

Reza F. Razali has been in the IT industry from the young age of 17, and been sweeping up international ICT awards 2000 APMITTA and 2001 APICTA with his maiden project terato.com which was one of Malaysiaʼs biggest online community from 2000 till 2006.

Currently Reza runs Terato Tech, a mobile application development outfit which has produced Qalvinius, AiyoMag and Forest Fables on the iPad. Now at 27 years old he still dominates Malaysia ICT Award scene. 🙂

Yusno is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Y Us Sdn Bhd, a company that simplifies, automates and delivers joy to your day-to-day operational processes and activities. Y Us award winning application is called Evenesis (www.evenesis.com), a complete end-to-end event management system. Evenesis has recently won the MSC Malaysia APICTA Awards 2011 and nominated to be in the list of Asia’s Top 50 Apps.

He began his career in the United States working as a web developer at Carnegie Mellon University, before returning to Malaysia to work with Tenaga Nasional Berhad. At TNB, he was involved extensively in solutions development and project management where he played a key role in the development of multiple projects and solutions such as the corporation’s CRM (customer relationship management) system, mobile field force automation and geographical information systems. He then moved on to another consulting firm where he was the Software Architect who produced variety of online branding/marketing solutions.

Dato’ Dr. Rajen M is founder and CEO of Holista Colltech Australia Limited – a group of companies active in the natural products biotechnology space. He obtained this Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honors from Universiti Sains Malaysia in 1986. He obtained his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland in 1994 and has a doctorate in Holistic Medicine from the University Of LaSalle, Louisiana, USA in 2000.

Dr. Rajen was a member of the Ministry of Health’s Standing Committee in Traditional Medicine. He is a member of Herbal Working Group – Ministry Industry Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and chaired the Committee that drafted the National Blue Print for the Herbal Industry. He is also a member at the Ministry of Health’s Standing Committee for Traditional Medicine as well as the Technical Advisor (Health Supplements) to the Malaysian Direct Distribution Association (MDDA). He is a founding member of the Malaysian Dietary Supplement Association (MADSA) and served as its first protem chairman. He was the Organizing Chairman of the Women’s Health and Asian Traditional (WHAT) Medicine conference and exhibition, which ran for the 4th time in June 2009.

Dr. Rajen has was the Honorary Secretary and a Council Member for Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society for 3 years and is now a Life Member of this professional body. He is a member of the Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Alumini Research Caucus and a Member of the Industry Advisory Panel of the university.

He was a Guest Lecturer in Alternative Medicine at Pharmacy Department, University Malaya and Medical International University and a Course Director for Alternative Medicine at Pharmacy Department. His areas of interest are Botanical Development and Eicosanoids (Biology Modulator Research). He is also the Managing Editor of the Journal of Tropical Medicinal Plants – the only journal in the world focusing on Medicinal Plants from the tropics.

Dr. Rajen has been a Guest Health Columnist for Sunday Star since October 1995. In July 2006, he moved on to write the Health Column of the New Straits Times. He has been writing a monthly column in The Edge on the Biotech business issues since October 2006.

Holista Colltech is listed in the Australia Stock Exchange. It resulted from the reverse acquisition of Colltech (Australia) by Holista Biotech (Malaysia). (www.holistaco.com).

Dr. Rajen is married to Sumita Kesavan who is a lawyer by profession. They have two children – a girl and boy.

Dr.Siva comes from a diverse background of 25 years of regional entrepreneurship in manufacturing, corporate consulting, corporate finance, venture capital and Entrepreneurship consulting in Asia.

He holds a Ph.D in Venture Capital studies from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland; an MBA (with Distinction) from University of Hull, UK; an LLB (Hons) from University of London and is also a qualified Chartered Secretary. He is also a certified Trainer for the Kauffman Foundation ‘FastTrac’ program. Dr. Siva is also the Founder & Past President of the Technopreneurs Association of Malaysia (TeAM) and currently its Advisor.

Dr. Siva is known for his candid and unconventional views on entrepreneurship, business and the economy and is a popular moderator, speaker, panelist and writer. He has spoken at conventions and seminars across the world from Asia to the USA including such distinguished institutions as the University of San Francisco and University of Texas (USA), Universities of Edinburgh, Nottingham, London City University in the UK, Gent (Belgium) and at universities in Malaysia and Thailand on the topics of Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital, Strategy and Business.

He has taught Entrepreneurship to Nottingham University MBA students and Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship to students at University of Edinburgh.

Dr.Siva is also an active member of several Government & Government Agencies policy committees including:
– The Securities Commission / Bursa Malaysia Committee on the revamp of the Malaysian Exchange and the formation of the Unified Board with specific emphasis on the ACE Market
– Ministry of Finance Special Working Committee on reviewing the funding ecosystem in Malaysia
– SMIDEC Working Committee on SME Innovation
– MIGHT/MOSTI Working Committee on the Strategic Science and Technology Initiative and Action Plan for 2020

He regularly thinks ‘out-of-the-box’ and has proposed many unique ideas on business and entrepreneurship to industry and the government. Among his notable achievements are :
– first Malaysian to hold a Ph. D in venture capital
– started the first Association for entrepreneurship in Malaysia (TeAM)
– under his leadership TeAM was the first organisation to present a White Paper on Entrepreneurship to the Government of Malaysia, which included the then Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed
– first to organise a technology networking event in Malaysia in 1999 (cocktail@3Capital) before networking became a fashionable word in Malaysia.
– spent a month in the USA at the invitation of the US State Department as a visiting scholar under their International Visitor Programme to study the impact of the New Economy on Business, Education and Government. Visits and meetings included dialogues with academia in Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University and University of Texas among others and included Government organisations as well as Corporations and Entrepreneurs.

Siva also contributes regularly to Malaysia’s No. 1 business magazine, “The Edge” with a column entitled ‘Money and Entrepreneurship’.

His main interest is in mentoring startup companies, strategy, venture capital finance, Angel investing and Entrepreneurship. He is currently the Managing Principal of Ventura Partners Sdn. Bhd., a boutique consulting firm and a mentor to three companies in the field of new media, intellectual property and Internet higher education marketing. He is also an Entrepreneur Coach and Evangelist and has coached MSC and Cradle Fund companies.

Ms Koh Lee Ching is a graduate of Aeronautical Engineering (B.Eng) from the renowned Imperial College, London and a serial Technopreneur with a few ventures under her belt.

She founded Calms Technologies Sdn. Bhd. in 2002 and successfully secured venture capital fund as well as R&D grant that enabled the company to develop its main product that now becomes its core technology for smart card implementation. The company helps customers automate and improve their card issuance, usage and management processes and maximises the return of investment of their smart card deployment. As the CEO of the company she is now looking at steering the company to the next level as a global player.

With the experience gained, she has also founded another venture based on her background as an engineer; Automated Design Xpress Sdn. Bhd. in 2007 with initial seed fund from the government to develop a web based solution for engineering work flow and process automation targeted at the manufacturing industry.

She has also started on a biotechnology company, Alam Seri Gading Sdn. Bhd. that aspires to fuse her business knowledge and experience with that of her scientist brother’s various patents in the biotechnology space.

She is the immediate past President of the Technopreneur Association of Malaysia and has set in a few government grants evaluation and approval committees. She was also a member of the National IT Council (NITC) and National Innovation Council (NIC) chaired by the Prime Minister. She is hoping to make a difference in improving the eco system for fellow local Malaysian Technoprenuers.

The Chief Executive Officer of Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd, Nazrin returned to the Cradle Investment Programme in October 2007 upon appointment by the Ministry of Finance. As the face of Cradle Fund, he inspires budding entrepreneurs to greater heights, and oversees all activities of the organisation. Closely involved in strategising more ways to reach potential groundbreaking ideas, Nazrin also works closely with the Ministry of Finance to best manage Cradle’s grants.

Starting his career as a Corporate Finance Executive in CIMB, he later left to begin his stint in entrepreneurship within the ZAR Group, which included an ICT arm which he headed, called Zarnet DotCom Sdn Bhd. In 2001, Nazrin clinched 3rd place in the Venture 2001 National Business Plan Competition, which is the first nationwide business plan competition for high technology ventures.

At the end of 2001, Nazrin was invited to head the Funding & Finance Sub-Committee of Technopreneurs Association of Malaysia (TeAM). While in TeAM, Nazrin spearheaded the lobbying for developmental funding to the Malaysian government. After 2 years of intensive lobbying to all levels of Government, the Cradle Investment Programme (CIP) was born, whereby RM100million was allocated by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in June 2003 to fill up the pre-seed and seed funding gap for high technology ventures.

Nazrin was appointed by Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad (Mavcap) as the Head of the Structuring team in CIP before being appointed the Acting Head and Strategy and Policy Advisor for CIP in July 2004. He left CIP in December 2004 to continue with his own technology business ventures, with his last position being Deputy CEO and Director of Smart Convergence Sdn Bhd, a company that specialised in set top box technologies. While away, Nazrin remained active within ICT circles as the policy advisor in TeAM and was also the Executive Director of TeAM from March to October 2007.

Premesh Chandran is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Malaysiakini.com, the leading online media in Malaysia, reaching over 300,000 readers per day in four languages (English, Malay, Chinese, Tamil).

Malaysiakini has won various international awards and accolades including from Asiaweek, Businessweek, the International Press Institute, the Committee to Protect Journalism and Reporters San Frontiers. The site has also been featured in various books and journals, most recently in the International Journal of Press/Politics. Malaysiakini is also the only media organisation in Southeast Asia to be nominated to the World Economic Forum’s International Media Council.

=============================================

Share this page

Technology Partner

EventBank is a leading cloud-based engagement management technology company that provides chambers of commerce, associations, event organizers, marketers, and businesses with solutions designed to streamline operations, modernize processes, and eliminate engagement challenges. EventBank’s innovative products combine the best event management, membership management, email marketing, CRM, and mobile apps into one all-inclusive platform.